It is still commonly believed that oil painting is dangerous and toxic; that it is environmentally hazardous and a danger to your health. This was true at one time, however modern materials and method have mitigated many of these hazards and today oil painting is one of the safest painting mediums.

1. Paint - There is nothing inherently toxic about oil paints. The paint is simply pigment suspended in a binder such as linseed oil, safflower oil, poppy oil or walnut oil. Each of these oils is plant-based and non-toxic. Some pigments however, such as Cadmium, Cobalt, Mercurial Sulfides and Lead can be hazardous. In the past these pigments were ground up into a very fine powder which could be absorbed by the skin leading to serious medical issues. Modern methods grind up the pigments to a more course powder which cannot be absorbed into the body. Modern oil paint tubes thus no longer carry the federal government safety warning labels. Instead most have a label which certifies that they conform to ASTM D-4236 and ASTM- D-4302 and that they have been properly labeled for chronic health hazards. If there are any hazards associated with the material they will be stated on the tube. For example Cadmium should not be spray applied. So it is still wise to either use barrier cream or gloves when painting with oils. Paints still contain pigment particles some of which may have minor adverse physical effects if ingested or regularly applied to soft skin, however they are now much safer.

2. Mediums - A normal part of the painting process is using a medium to alter the painting characteristics or appearance. Lavender oil was the medium of choice from the fourteenth century until the Industrial Revolution when turpentine replaced it because it was cheaper. Thus the smell associated with oil painting was turpentine. Turpentine is however very toxic and is now rarely used. Instead people most often use Oderless Mineral Spirits (OMS). OMS thinners don’t smell as much, but they are still toxic. Even Gamsol which is advertised as more refined, is still toxic. One way to avoid mediums is to paint right out of the tube with a palette knife. Since this is not always possible or desirable, a better option is to use non-toxic oils such as lavender oil, walnut oil or linseed oil. Each of these oils has its own advantages and disadvantages:Lavender oil has a strong odor that some consider pleasant. It has the consistency of water and is a strong solvent but expensive.Walnut oil is thicker and very slippery and I find it difficult to paint with but great for cleaning brushes.Linseed oil is the most common binder in oil paints but it may turn yellow in time. Another alternative is to use a solvent-free non toxic gel mediums such as Gamblin’s Solvent-Free (non toxic) Gel Medium.Alkyds in oils cause paintings to dry faster and usually you can paint over them the next day. I find a small amount of alkyd walnut oil to be a useful medium. Gamblin’s Solvent-Free Gel Medium has alkyd in it.

3. Brush Cleaning - Most painters use an OMS for brush cleaning. This is fine outdoors or in a very well ventilated room. However a better solution is to use a non-toxic solvent such as the Bio-based Artists Solvent sold be The ART Treehouse or Turpenoid Natural which is also non-toxic. Alternatively many of the essential oils also make good brush cleaning solvents. Lavender oil is actually a stronger solvent than turpentine. Walnut oil is good for cleaning brushes while painting. Final cleaning however should be done with soap and water.

4. My present process:

- paint with any brand of artist grade paints, my preference is Gamblin or M. Graham- during painting I clean brushes in walnut oil and clean rags or paper towels.- for a medium I use Gamblin Solvent-Free Gel Medium if I want an impasto effect, or Lavender oil for thinner paint.- as a turpentine substitute for palette cleaning I use either lavender oil or The Art Treehouse Artists Solvent- at the end of the day I clean my brushes in Turpenoid Natural followed by water and Masters Brush/Hand Cleaning Soap- I store any remaining paint on the palette in a closed container also containing a small amount of clove oil to slow the drying process. Ideally this should be kept in a freezer or refrigerator.

Oil paint can be placed on top of acrylic paint (but not the other way around). Thus one can do an underpainting in acrylic which is water based, non-toxic and fast drying. Oil painting is great for texture and for adding subsequent soft edges (because it is slow drying).Oil painting also eliminates the need for glass or plexiglass framing.

Yay! I use WIlliamsburg paint, but being the hypochondriac I am, I took a long hiatus in fear of causing myself longterm health harm! This make me feel comfy to paint again. Thank you!!!!

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natmor

1/23/2015 01:56:26 am

Really helpful, thanks for this!

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kristina norgaard

1/28/2015 06:27:11 am

Thank you for providing good information. I'm interested in switching from turpentine to lavender oil, but wonder if the lavender oil will make the paint look glossy?

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tee

1/11/2017 02:58:49 pm

get away from the turp as soon as possible, spike lavender is incredible, u will wonder why u used it all this time

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arturs pocapinskis

8/23/2015 12:53:08 pm

You know how oil paint has a very strong smell, and if you paint in a room, or keep a wet painting in a room (which is what you do if you don't have a studio), that smell will stay in that room, intensely? I've come to associate that smell with all the wonders of art and it's kinda pleasant to me by now...but what am I smelling?
Some substance is diffused in the air I'm breathing, a substance contained in all oil paints, as they all smell the same. I'm having difficulty finding out whether or not that is harmful - and so I would obviously love to know what it actually is.

I believe it is just the smell of the linseed oil (or walnut oil) binder in the paint. It is thus not normally harmful.
Mike

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Frank young

7/3/2018 08:23:59 pm

Hi

Yes the smell is the binder. I used to use turpentine and that was the smell of oil painting. Then stopped Furo for the health hazards. I was using linseed oil.
Switched to wallet the smell is less.
I am now using cold press walnut oil.
No chems in the oil for processing.
I think you can buy totally pure Lindsey oil as well. Almost food grade.
My latest concern oil left to dry may be rancid. Ok for the painting but what about health.

Parisa

8/27/2015 06:49:27 am

Thanks for the article. I used to oil pain a lot as a teenager from 1999 ~2004. I was never told to avoid skin contact and we used to wash our brushes with dish detergent and water and getting color on my hands was no big deal for me. So, when you mention "in the past these pigments were ground up into a very fine powder which could be absorbed by the skin leading to serious medical issues", how long ago are you referring to? By the way, I never had any serious medical issues but I am constantly worried I killed brain cells by having color on my skin or my future baby is in higher risk of birth defects.

Parisa-
The main issue is cadmium. After around 1985 the process was changed so that it could not be absorbed into the skin. So if you were using new cadmium paint you are probably OK. However if you inherited some old paint there may be an issue. If you are really concerned I would suggest having a blood test for cadmium.
I wish you well,
Mike

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Parisa

8/28/2015 12:46:06 am

Thank you very much for your reply! 10-15 years old paint tubes! I don't think I was using that old of paint. I think if I was poisoned, it would have caused some physical symptoms.

Thank you for the info on this page/web site. Some background: I recently switched from Winsor Newton to M. Graham oil paints to avoid inhaling turpentine fumes in the clean up process. Using the M. Graham paints I switched back & forth between using just the walnut oil medium and the alkyd walnut medium. I'm extremely unhappy with the alkyd medium as even small amounts tend to thin the M Graham paints and I don't like the results. The drying time with just the walnut oil is SO slow though. Today I worked on 2 paintings with my old Winsor Newton paints and regular Linseed medium and I loved the results.

My questions: 1) can I use the Winsor Newton (and other similar oil paints) and a linseed medium and then clean my brushes with walnut oil (with good results)? and 2) Do I have any other choice of a medium (i.e. linseed-based) for the M Graham oil paints?

Leslie-
I had a simiilar experience with the M. Graham walnut oil as a medium. It is just too slippery for use as a medium unless you use only a tiny amount as they recommend. Their alkyd walnut medium should also only be used sparingly. I personally prefer the Gamblin solvent free gel medium and use it regularly. The only use of walnut oil should be as a brush cleaner followed by Turpenoid Natural which is also toxic free.
Many people use linseed oil as a medium and I think that is OK. However there are a number of other oils suggested by M. Graham. Please check with them

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Leslie

12/18/2015 03:44:21 am

Mike--

Thank you for the suggestion of the Gamblin gel medium. I just used it with two paintings and it's a welcome change from the M. Graham alkyd medium. I found that I have to use more of the Gamblin gel medium than I used of the liquid form alkyd by M. Graham, but it mixes pretty well and doesn't bleed into my other colors on the canvas or panels. I'm using it in the winter right now, but I hope it performs as well in summer.

Leslie

Ken

6/2/2018 07:08:12 am

I used the M. Graham walnut oil as a medium at first, and didn't mind it too much, but then on a whim tried the Chelsea Classical Studio walnut oil and enjoyed that immensely more. I'm not sure why. It just handles like a dream to me (maybe it's thicker?). Might be worth a try. They have very small bottles along with larger ones, so it's easy to try out.

Have you tried full synthetic oil in order to get greater mileage out of your brushes?

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tony

1/30/2016 07:02:47 pm

turpenoid is still a solvent that releases fumes. They say it's safer but ask them to back that claim up, and compare material safety data sheets

gel mediums and alkyds are all derived from oils. all oils cause yellowing over time, and you need to be careful to start lean (no oil) and finish the painting with progressively more oil added, if any, so be careful with all of those oils. I wouldnt' be adding lavender oil as a medium. still to the tried and tested oils that lasted on enduring paintings for hundreds of years

Turpenoid is definitely toxic, however Turpenoid Natural is not toxic. Just being a solvent does not mean it is toxic. Water is a solvent.
I agree that most oils can cause yellowing, however some are better than others.

What are the downsides of using lavender oil.
Tony (or Mike):
I know linseed is an old tried & true oil. What are the others?

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Julie Barber

4/7/2016 06:39:33 am

Hi
Thanks for this information. I tested using lavender oil to dilute my paint and walnut oil to clean my brushes during painting and it worked perfectly! I imagined that the walnut oil would be thick and hard to get it all off the brush but this was not the case. Although perhaps some stays on the brush as I found that I didn't really need to use the lavender oil much if at all. A perfect solution to doing away with turps during painting.

Are you using lavender oil or oil of spike lavender? Lavender oil is extracted only from lavender flowers and is a paint retarder. Oil of spike lavender is extracted from the entire plant and is a solvent like turpentine.

I have bought oil of spike lavender and I have also bought lavender oil from a lavender farm. They make it using the spike of the flower and told me that lavender oil and spike of lavender are the same thing. That is all that I know. I tried to research it further but found nothing. If you have a better source/data, please let me know.
Mike

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Stephen L. Schroeder

8/18/2016 02:01:58 pm

I have had health problems with using oils. The only solution was to switch to painting in Blick premium tempera on canvas panels.This method is complete safe and I only use red,yellow,turquios blue as a mixing palette.Excellent results as the colors opaque and cover well and the paintings look like oils when finished.I been told that the paintings will fade so when the paintings are dry I frame the paintings with a styrene face provided.So far no problems as the tempera paint is lightfast and a pleasure to use. Is this a good solution or not?

It seems to work for you so it is a good solution. You could also try gouache or acrylics. I also use these from time to time. You might refer to James Gurney's website and blog since he uses all of these mediums and has a free daily newsletter.
Mike

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Eyal Molchansky

10/9/2016 03:13:21 am

Hi,
what do you think of saaflower oil as cleaner for brushes during painting instead of walnut or lavender oil?
(it is impossible to get oil of spike lavender where i am from and very expensive to order internationally)
(i can't use turpentine any more because i developed from that problems in my lungs and allergies)

also, i used to make my medium 1/3 of linseed oil, dammer varnish and turpentine.
what do you suggest to use now? (linseed, stand oil, poppy oil, walnut oil?) maybe combination of some?

and thank you for the article! :)
Eyal

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Thao

2/16/2019 02:03:40 am

Hi
I use Crsico sunflower oil from supermarket to clean my brushes during painting sessions - I just have a small glass bottle of it, wipe my brush on paper towel then dip it into the sunflower oil, and wipe w paper towel again. Yes I use lots of paper towels but I avoid having to get rid of jars of dirty oil or having to wash and dry rags and having rags around the house that may or may not be flammable!
Sunflower oil is a slow drying oil so I am careful to wipe it off the brush properly before using. Also there iare apparently different types of sunflower oils and the one you want is high in POLYunsaturated oils not MONOunsaturated fats as those won’t dry (!)
Occasionally (if I need a brush really clean or clean and dry like a blending mop brush) I will use a glass dropper to put a drop or two of Zest-It onto a paper towel and then swish my mop brush against the paper towel. Zest-It is supposedly not as toxic as turps or OMS but I literally have one dropper full of it on the table, and that’s usually enough for one painting session.
Between painting sessions I do clean my brushes in sunflower oil and then dip it in the oil and it keeps the brush soft for a day or two. If I don’t paint for a couple of days then the brushes get a wash w masters soap and warm to hot water. Occasionally I also rub a bit of hair conditioner (made w Argan oil) onto my mongoose and badger brushes and then wash it out w hot water. It restores the softness of the brush.
I have used solvent free gel but I prefer a mix of stand oil and zest it (2 to 1 for thin medium and 50/50 for fat medium for glazing). Again to avoid exposure to the smell of zest-it, I mix up a small bottle at a time and keep it closed. I just have a dropper full of medium and have that on the table when I paint. I add the medium to the paint on my palette one or two drops at a time. I would love to try spike oil but it’s sooo expensive and zest it seems like a good compromise as long as I use it sparingly! I haven’t tried the bio solvent but have heard of people having issue w them never drying ....
Note I paint in my dining room and have a child and a cat - it seems to work fine - although I do lock away the big bottle of zest-it elsewhere up high.
I also use disposable gloves but only because I want to use cadmium and cobalt paints.

I don't use saaflower oil but it is probably fine for brush cleaning. I still use walnut oil for brush cleaning and Gamblin Solvent Free Gel Medium as a medium. However if I need to make the paint more fluid, I use the bio based solvent from The Art Treehouse.
Mike

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Eyal Molchansky

10/9/2016 11:23:48 am

i understand
so i'll have to experiment with this to see how it goes.
for now i don't want to use any solvents but just oils. i hope ill find a good mix :)
thank you for answering

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Juan

12/14/2016 04:10:32 am

Hi, thanks for the information.
What do you think of water soluble oils?

I do not like water soluble oils because they don't have the same feel as regular oil paint and require a water supply when painting outdoors. Also, the water supply ends up with a sludge on the bottom which is difficult to clean up and dispose of. All I need to take with me now for cleaning brushes is a small jar of walnut oil which I never need to clean, I just need to add more oil when it gets low.

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Jeff

3/15/2017 01:26:54 pm

Was just going to say that it's incredibly frustrating because I hear this from people so many times that oils, etc are incredibly toxic and it's simply not true. The fact of the matter is that lead would be illegal to mix into paint nowadays says it all. I think people think this because of the odor, but like you said its the linseed oil mixed in with the paint.

I had a teacher making this claim and I kinda disagreed with him on it. He's a good guy but he seemed to have a poor understanding about this.

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Sab

3/31/2017 07:07:46 pm

Actually I bought a big tube of winston & newton in 2016 of cremintz white and it says LEAD on the back and how the product has cancer risk and you should wash hands after use. And don't use if planning to get pregnant. What's up with that?

Lead is one of the pigments that is best avoided. Unlike Cadmium there are no safe formulations as far as I know. People still use lead white because it was used by the great masters. Here is an article about it:

"These are traditional lead-based whites steeped in painting history. Some artists prefer using them because of this long history and because they were used by the Old Masters. Lead white is strictly for use by adults and is recommended only for artists who understand the safe handling of lead-based pigments. Lead white paint is highly toxic by both inhalation and ingestion."

This is a link to a good article on choosing a brand of oil paint:
http://wonderstreet.com/blog/how-to-choose-a-brand-of-oil-paint

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Wenjie Zhou

5/21/2017 12:29:09 pm

Hi, Thanks so much for sharing. It was super helpful.
When you say lavender oil, walnut oil or linseed oil, do you mean the kind that we can commonly get from food store (like the oil we use to cook...)

I believe that any lavender oil or walnut oil can be used. I use walnut oil just for cleaning brushes so it never becomes part of the painting. I would only use artist grade linseed oil to thin the paint.

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Carole Ann Gaulden

5/26/2017 09:42:27 pm

Mike,
I have asthma and my lungs are affected badly so gave up oils a year ago. So happy I found you and learned of some paints without odors. I tried Lukas water mixable paint but still has an odor.

I'm just in middle of watercolor classes but finding it's playing with my mind. Do you have to order these diff. brands and the thinners and brush cleaners or can I generally find them in studios? There's sev. places in area to look for them. Where do you buy yours?
I like your tree by the brook-very good.
I enjoy using pallet knives but it's so thick I may not do anymore of those. So nice to have some hope again about oils. Thanks Mike,
Carole Ann

I think Liquin is a good product however it is somewhat toxic. I rarely use it in the studio.

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Ruth Ward

8/6/2017 06:07:53 am

I'm trying to make a substitute for oil painting medium, which is 2/3 Turpentine and 1/2 stand oil. This is a very important medium for oiling out after the lean stage of painting. The odor of this product is highly offensive especially when painting indoors with other artists in my family. I want to make a non-toxic alternative. I found an article that mentioned that you could make the medium with poppy oil, walnut oil, and other types of linseed oil. I'd like to use walnut oil, because I have that, but I'm not sure what solvent to replace the turpentine with. Perhaps the oil of spike lavender would work? If anyone has tried it, please post.

There is a new product that might work well for you as a medium. It is Gamblin non-toxic solvent free fluid safflower-alkyd painting medium. I do not recommend walnut oil as a medium because it is too slippery, it is however a great brush cleaner. Lavender oil is a good turpentine replacement but it is very expensive.

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Liam

8/29/2017 06:37:46 am

Thank you for this great information! I have been moving my studio around for a while, and seldom have adequate ventilation as an option, so I am very excited to learn that it is possible to paint in oils without the fumes.

I have a question about the paint film. If you mix lavender oil into your paint, which you say acts as a strong solvent, like turpentine, does it evaporate in a similar way, leaving a strong paint film? Or does it act like linseed oil, and make your paint fatter (an important consideration for the fat-over-lean rule)?

Lavender oil is a safer substitute for solvents such as mineral spirits. It should not make the paint more oily.

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Darlea Henderson

9/2/2017 07:58:31 pm

I am starting an oil painting course and want to use lavender. He say stop take half and half of linseed and mineral spirits. Do I just use lavender instead of both of those or linseed/ lavender mixture? Thank you.

I am new to oil painting (but not to acrylics) I have avoided oils because of smell and toxicity. I want all non toxic products.
I will be getting Gamblin Gel medium and Tupenoid natural for sure but I need a cleaner for during painting and a medium to thin or smooth the paints and that dries moderately or quick.

Questions
1. Is spike of Lavender toxic at all?
2. Is M Graham walnut oil non toxic?
3. Gamblin oil medium fluid solvent free, what does solvent free mean? Non toxic?
4. Which is a better and safer medium, lavender spike or Gamblin medium fluid?
5. Which Cadmiuns are non toxic or safer?
6. Do Gamblin and M Graham paints have toxic fumes?
7. Do any of these products smell a lot?

Claire-
I am not a chemist or doctor so my information is based on information on the internet as well as personal experience. Two key sources are M.Graham and Gamblin, both of which I trust.
1. Lavender oil is not toxic however like anything some people may be allergic to it.
2. Walnut oil is also non toxic and you can use any walnut oil from a health food store or supermarket. I use it just for brush cleaning, not as a medium.
3. Generally solvent free means toxic free.
4. Both are good but lavender oil is very expensive and has a strong odor.
5. All the cadmium paints are now safer and will not be absorbed by the skin, however cadmium is a known carcinogen so be careful.
6. I don't know what you mean by fumes but unless you boil them I think you are OK.
7. Some people don't like the smell of linseed oil or some of the other oils, however lavender has the strongest odor.
Hope this helps,
Mike

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Claire

9/15/2017 04:04:41 pm

I understand about the advice you give according to information out there. You are very helpful and well informed! Thanks! Now that I know that these two brands are the safest I feel more comfortable about them.

Reply to #2 I love the idea of walnut cooking oil for brush cleaning! Yay.

Reply to #6 By fumes I meant toxic odor from paints and mediums, is it still necessary to be in a ventilated area? If I can take the odor is it safe to paint in a bedroom made art room?
I love lavender and hope LS smells like lavender.
I promise not to boil paints! Lol (a little art humor for good health)

New questions.
8. If lavender as a medium is too strong for me what other safe medium do you recommend?
9. I must have some bright pink paints but I will have to get those from other brands and will be extra careful with them, what do you think?

Claire-
#6 I paint in a closed unventilated basement and I am fine. A bedroom would work fine.
#8 Lavender oil is not a medium, just a solvent for thinning paint. For a medium I now prefer the solvent free gel medium which they now also make as a liquid medium. They both include alkyds for faster drying.
#9 Most of the larger brands are now safe.

Hi Mike, I see your blog is current ,so I'm going to say thank you for such good information. I found the link on the various brands of oil paints with their pros and cons. very helpful.

As a fairly new painter, I am also looking to get away from the toxic products such as turpentine (Since I paint in my house and don't like the smell of regular turpentine, I've been using Weber Oderless Turpenoid but that still carries toxic warnings).

So, after reading about walnut and lavender oils, I decided to use something on hand one day as I was out of my usual product, and used up all my friend's gift of English Lavender foaming hand soap made by Pretty Baby Naturals in NC - and it worked great - I've used the turpenoid followed by Master's tub soap in the past and have gone back to it ,but want to continue down a path less toxicity - so will start using the walnut oil to clean my brushes. I usually paint straight from the tube undiluted, primarily because I don't have the in-depth knowledge about all the mediums and it's worked out fine for me. Once in awhile, the paint will come out of the tube dry but it usually comes out with some of the oil, so there is usually not a need to thin it much.

I have been soaking my brushes, after wiping on a paper towel while painting, in a jar of the turpenoid and cleaning with the Old Masters cake soap - it has worked fairly well.

I recently tried the W&N Brush Cleaner and Restorer, which is supposed to be non-toxic, but found it wasn't really cleaning my brushes well - so I went against the directions and allowed the brushed to soak in it - and subsequently have ruined almost all my brush handles - it either ate the paint off or melted the plastic! A big and expensive lesson learned there, but I don't like that product and won't be using it again.

Do you place your wiped off brushes in a jar of the walnut oil as you are painting to keep them from drying out? I read that you said grocery store oil is okay - this must just mean for cleaning, not thinning the paint, right? You said you just keep adding oil to your jar - doesn't the paint settle on the bottom as it does in the turpenoid?

Another question - what is the purpose of Gamblin Solvent Free Gel Medium? You talked of another product you use to thin (make the paint flow more easily), so what do you use the medium for?

There are so many products out there, I just want to be less confused and have a only couple of go-to everyday non-toxic products that are the most beneficial to oil painting identified!

Thank you so much for your help in doing this and being patient with all the people such as myself who ask you to repeat answers. I apologize for that but I do appreciate your responses.

Laura-
I never use Odorless Turpenoid because it is toxic, rather I use Turpenoid Natural which is very safe. Leaving brushes in walnut oil is not a good idea, all that walnut oil does is coat the bristles with a very slick oil which facilitates wiping it clean with a towel. After the brushes are pretty clean, I clean off the remaining oil with the ArtTreehouse non toxic solvent (or Turpenoid Natural). For thinning paint or as a medium I use either the Gamblin solvent free gel medium or their new product which is a liquid medium. I then leave the brushes on a paper towel until the next painting session. I never leave brushes in jar to soak. If I am not planning to paint for over a week or two, I clean the brushes in Murphy's Oil Soap and then water.

Mike,
Thank you for you response. I will give these non-toxic products a try!

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Lauren

10/29/2017 07:30:33 am

Thanks for all helpful info. I have used gamblin gel as substitute for oleopasto but find 3 days in still so wet. I love consistency of oleo but worry re fumes so I thought I would try gel any suggestions re drying and keeping consistency created with oleo?

The Gamblin gel contains alkyd which is the drying agent. I have not used oleo. However some pigments dry faster than others. The earth colors dry the fastest, while cadmiums and white dry very slowly.

Orianna M.

10/1/2017 04:06:37 pm

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the resources and info!! I am placing an order at The Art Treehouse today. Fabulous site.

I am wondering what you know about Galkyd by Gamblin. This medium has become such a big part of my painting process. I absolutely love it, but I'm nervous about its toxicity. I'm planning to try to get pregnant soon but I feel like I need to stop painting for a while first. I'm a messy painter and always manage to get paint on me no matter how hard I try. Anyway, would love to know if you have any thoughts on the safety of Galkyd and/or if you have any suggestions of non-toxic substitutes that might mirror what it does. I usually paint with A LOT of it and with linseed oil.

Galkyd is mildly toxic, so I would suggest Gamblin Solvent Free Medium which now also comes in a liquid form. It is safer and also includes alkyds for fast drying. It is what I use.
Mike

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Orianna M.

10/1/2017 04:44:58 pm

Ok! Will do!! Thank you, Mike :)

michelle

10/2/2017 09:40:12 am

I teach high school art and we are using solvent free methods of oil painting. One of my student's has some very shiny areas in her painting and wants to know how to reduce the shininess. I suspect she used too much safflower oil medium in the shiny areas. Any suggestions?

When oil paint dries there are often patches of shine and matte. Each color acts differently. The traditional solution is called oiling out which is just adding oil to the painting after it is dry in order to even out the surface. Another solution is applying a coat of varnish.

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Jess

12/28/2017 06:44:52 am

Hi! The information here was really helpful. I'm new to oil paintings so I was wondering where and when would you use the paint thinners on your work? And is it really necessary to use these oils to achieve a professional look in the painting?

I don't use any traditional paint thinners, or even OMS unless I am painting outdoors. Using oils is not always necessary, palette knife paintings often paint right out of the tubes.

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Katie

5/16/2018 03:51:23 pm

Hi! I loved the information here, I recently switched to solvent free because I moved to NYC and my studio is now my bedroom. I used to use neomegilp and gamsol to clean brushes, but I would wake up feeling a bit out of it.

I've since switched to canola oil for brush cleaning(works fine), and linseed oil/solvent free gel for medium. I also wear gloves when I paint.

I've noticed the solvent free fluid has a Kinda strong smell that can make me feel a bit heady. They say they're made of a "soy based alkyd" on the website, so I assumed alkyd were some kind of acrylic - but it's actually a resin.

I've worked with resin before (epoxy) and it's absolutely awful for you to be around. So im having trouble understanding why this alkyd resin, is more acceptable to inhale.

I have excellent ventilation, two 4X6 windows and a large fan, but I'm still getting this "heady" feeling. It could possibly be the smell of linseed binders in the paints themselves but I have no way of being sure

I am not really sure what alkyd is but alkyd mediums added to accelerate drying are not considered toxic. I have never had a problem with them and I am very sensitive to all types of mineral spirits. I normally have no ventilation in my studio.

Wonderful and informative posting on solvent alternatives and more. Thanks so much for sharing!

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Jolene

8/21/2018 01:38:33 pm

Hi there Mike,

Thanks for all the helpful tips and advices. I'm planning to swap out all the more 'toxic' mediums/solvents I have in my studio with the ones that you have mentioned in your blog.

I was wondering if you have any recommendations for varnishes and gessos that are also better/safer to use. I've tried looking into non toxic varnishes and gessos but didn't quite find anything. Thanks so much!

I believe that all the acrylic gessos are non toxic and can be used with any painting medium. However varnishes for oil paintings are usually toxic. I solve that problem by varnishing outdoors, or in a very well ventilated room, or by wearing a respirator. Outdoors is best.
Mike

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Jolene

8/22/2018 10:58:05 am

I think your advice on respirator might be the way to go. Thanks Mike!

Can you update this guide to also include what products to use that DO NOT have spontaneous combustion capabilities too?

I just watched the ABC News YT video about how Linseed oil, when used with paper towels or cloth rags can ignite, based upon the evaporation process the two materials go through. It was very eye opening. In a very scary way. I am digging into this aspect of oil painting thoroughly. If I can not find a conclusive answer to using safe oil paints with non-flammable properties that do not self ignite then it is time to visit the hazardous goods center with all my back-stock of "nasty's" and pull out the watercolors. For good.

Yes, many household items are flammable to varying degrees. Usually it states this on the label. Linseed oil is one of those and thus I avoid it. For cleaning brushes I have recently started using food grade mineral oil (or baby oil) and it works great, better than walnut oil. The only flammable item that I use is Liquin for glazing and I use it with good ventilation.
However I always put used rags into one of those red fireproof containers with a foot operated lid which I keep next to me. So there is no need to give up on oil painting.

Are you using the baby oil or food grade mineral oil to clean brushes while painting? I read that they don't dry like the walnut oil. What about using the Art Treehouse thinner in between colors? Any thoughts on citrus brush cleaners?

Yes, I use mineral oil to clean my brush while painting. I keep a container of mineral oil next to my palette and just dip the dirty brush in the oil without any scrubbing so that the mineral oil always stays clear. Then I wipe the brush with a paper towel until it is clean. I usually do this 2-3 times. It is a lot less messy than walnut oil and cheaper. At the end of the session I wash the brush in mineral spirits (outside) and then soap and water. Since doing this I have not used any other method. I am not sure about citrus cleaners.

If lavender oil is an oil (like linseed or poppyseed or walnut) then it's not a solvent. So you can't use it the way you would use a traditional solvent like OMS or Turps to thin your paint. If you mixed it with your bottom layers or underpainting you'll violate "fat over lean" and over time your paintings will crack. This is the big challenge with painting solvent free - bottom layers have to be "lean" - no extra oil.

Depending on how many layers I need I solve it with using acrylics to tone my canvas and block in light and shadow. My bottom later is water-mixible oils thinned with water. Next layer is tube-strength traditional oil. Subsequent layers are mixed with more walnut or safflower oil. (thus fat-over lean with no solvents except water)

And why do you use solvent (turpenoid) for cleanup? That's unnecessary. You can do solvent-free cleanup by mobilizing most of the paint out of your brushes with just oil and then finishing with Master's and water.

I also often use acrylic for an underpainting however with modern alkyd based mediums such as Gamblin Solvent free medium, the old rule of "fat over lean" no longer applies. The paint often dries overnight.
I also no longer use walnut oil for cleaning brushes since food grade mineral oil or baby oil work better and are less sticky. I also use soap for final brush cleaning at the end of the day.

Mike

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Wendy

3/24/2019 05:23:21 pm

I am so confused about the mineral/baby oil usage as I have read such negative comments in its use with regard to oil painting. Isn't it a non-drying oil?

I am totally sold on using mineral oil for brush cleaning but would never use it as a painting medium. I just dip the dirty brush in the oil without any scrubbing so that the oil remains clear. The I wipe it on a paper towel to remove the oil and old paint. This is also how I used walnut oil but this is much better.
Mike

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Wendy

3/25/2019 08:59:59 am

Thank you, Mike, for explaining. I get it now. I've been doing the same process with safflower oil, and really like it. FYI, I only you oil from the art store.

If you use mineral oil to clean your brushes it is VERY important that you clean ALL of it out before painting. The difference between a drying oil and mineral oil is that the former dries by oxidizing in which chains of unsaturated fatty acids get some of their bonds replaced with molecules that are hydroperoxides, and these cause cross-linking to occur between adjacent chains, forming polymers. That doesn't happen with mineral oil - mineral oil doesn't dry.

So the result is that is some of your drying oil (linseed, walnut, etc) is contaminated with mineral oil then it becomes a much weaker binder which could shorten the life of your painting of interfere with proper drying.

I also clean with non-drying oils but then I wash them in water and Masters to get THAT oil out, and let them thoroughly before using them again to make sure I got all the oil out.

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